The Story of Manav and Atmananda

THE ETERNAL WINGS OF GRAND TRADITION

The Story of Manav and Atmananda
(a poem based on the Mohanji's story)


Manav, a 23-year- old man
sat near the Ganga that's flowing
staring at the hurrying water
how like time it's going

The moment you think of the present
it has already become the past
the moment you look elsewhere
gallons of water have rushed past

Life is a totally mad rush
where and when will the rush end
where is the time going to
who will this rush understand

People, seasons, events,
everything flows through time
unconsciously, uncontrollably
with or without reaching prime

Just like a big log rolling
up and down over the waves
unconsciously, helplessly,
people follow their craves

People come and vanish
then new people appear
they all also perish
What can we hold back here?

Asking the divine in the sky
echoed Manav's heart's cry
deciding to change the course
urging back to his source

Manav decided to go north
for the Himalayas for spiritual growth
he considered himself brave
he went on an uncertain life's wave

He went over tough terrains
tough times and unknown paths
leaving the world of pretensions
to achieve selflessness through pain or laughs

Some strangers asked him whether
he found what he'd been looking for
he said the point's not in finding
but knowing what he'd been seeking for

A man told him to meet Atmananda
it means long path of uncertainties
how, where and when to find him
nobody could give him any guarantees

What to do, to go or to stay back
staying means eternal stagnation
going means wild uncertainties
he'll walk further, he had determination

He feared staying more than going
whatever he chooses there's death in the end
three days he walked and met Atmananda
he'll throw his life in Atmananda's hand

Atmananda looked the same
as the stranger who guided him
Manav was stunned, does he err?
He was confused to the brim

He approached the group with this saint
who cracked jokes and laughed aloud
was this the man to acquaint
in the middle of the laughing crowd?

While Atmananda ignored him
Manav wondered about jokes
whether he searched for a laugh
cause laugh happiness invokes

He couldn't talk to Atmananda
who continuously ignored him
only after three days of trying
Manav got to talk to him

„This is dead. Where is life?“
The saint asked him a question
Manav was without answer
but followed the saint in action

The whole entourage reached a city
the place of filth and greed
Manav wondered why this pity
when the saint said using mind-read:

„I exist in the mountains
yet my feet are on the ground
my body is not my real 'size'
I am present all around

My consciousness is expanded
there's much one can see
I'm not only this body
with eyes you cannot see me“

But Manav was attached to the mountains
his source of peace and tranquility
a part of him wanted to escape
but he would feel very guilty

The other part of Manav told him
he found Guru, achieved this goal
though he didn't seem at all
to be so high and mighty soul

Atmananda kept wandering
never teaching significantly anyone
noone cared about hardships
uncertainty seemed to be fun

Everyone followed him aimlessly
enjoying his company only
Manav thought „Is this spirituality!?“
He was even more confused and lonely

The saint asked „Whom can you wake up?“
The question didn't seem like teaching
but he knew what he was doing
the answers were without reaching

„You can wake up only a sleeper
You can never wake up a pretender
Who only pretends to sleep
will never completely surrender

The Himalayas are full of pretenders
Many of them just twirl
I can see who sleeps, who pretends
I pick up only a real pearl.“

This was a revelation
of Atmananda's mission
who was to wake up sleepers
who think this life's not fiction

There are ultimate realities
and truth is hidden from the ignorant
The saint's mission is noble
waking up sleepers is important

„What is my role?“ Manav thought
Atmananda read his mind
He ordered Manav to beg
from various people unkind

He was to stay seven days
without coming back
completely shaken with this
no things should he pack

He worried the whole night
cause he'd never begged
he had money or earned it
it's what he never lacked

It sounds so humiliating
horribly ridiculing, too
it looks so embarrassing
he didn't know what to do

He lost his faith in Atmananda
and was bitterly disappointed
but somehow in the end
he did what he never wanted

The saint had given him the broken bowl
he extended it to the passers-by
one ridiculed him, „What a shame
for such young man to beg and sigh!

You lazy boy, find a job and work
you'd rather be fiddle and useless!“
He stood and begged until the noon
and got a coin in a way careless

He couldn't attune to this
hating humiliating life
noone had compassion, heart
regardless how they were smart

Without breakfast, without lunch
wishing job and dignity
he wanted to cheat and start work
but knew he would feel guilty

With iron determination
he accepted the absurd task
he'll survive this temptation
living with a beggar's mask

He drank water from street taps
at night he hardly took naps
he lay under a banyan tree
shivering from head to knee

It was windy it was cold
but his heart persistent, bold
nobody's protection near
he was to fight his own fear

He had to face many fears
with or without any tears
all his being was then shaken
he feared his life may be taken

He was terrified by the dark
creature, ghost, attacker, nark
darkness, shadows, threatening
he had 8 days for such living

Somehow he found will and strength
to go through tough 8-day length
He decided to tough it out
to continue without doubt

He could just go back with the bowl
humbly walk or even crawl
but ego didn't allow
ego made him tough somehow

He had a bath in the river
dirt and worries cleared
water was rejuvenating
his only clothes disappeared

There was nothing left
except from his begging bowl
He desperately asked God
„Why're such tests given to my soul?“

He had now unsightly look
humiliated, contempted, upset
there was some money he got and took
to enter a restaurant he wasn't let

He bought the food, ate outside,
with gratitude, without pride
he began to value coins
and the cloth covering his loins

Though he had enough money
he got food in broken bowl
the waiter skipped kindness
thinking he was out of control

Manav started the first bite
calmly, under the banyan tree
when suddenly a little girl
next to her mother, hungry

She smiled at him and approached
opened her small, hungry mouth
expecting him to feed her
his meal looked to her like routh

She wasn't crying for mum
her mum was still sleeping
this small toddler had tough times
starving without weeping

How to manage hunger, he could
learn from the little toddler
he fed her, she ate a lot
he felt the role of her father

Though there was no enough food
for his empty stomack wild
he felt deep satisfaction
for feeding a starving child

Manav went to other street
busy, where beggars compete
threatening to break his leg
or in other street to beg

This time he wasn't upset
his own pride began to melt
his ego wasn't heartfelt
in a new state now he dwelt

His stomack hungry again
made him ask for any food
he relied on compassion
whatever the waiter's mood

No compassion in a restaurant
for unsightly naked man
guests were full of contempt
the owner was indignant

He threw boiling water
at Manav, burning his skin
not only that his skin hurt
he was deeply hurt within

Overwhelmed by sadness
hunger and isolation
he started crying bitterly
letting go of inner tension

Passers-by saw him crying
put some coins in his bowl
he bought breakfast, food for body
received kindness, food for soul

At night he faced fears again
though there was nothing to protect
that's why he managed a bit of sleep
in severe wind, without blanket

Finally all eight days passed by
he had temptations variety
it was time to go back to his Master
but he needed directions from the society

Society didn't want to help him
looking shabby and repulsive
superficial judgements showing
no kindness, no words instructive

He went on, followed intuition,
he was walking towards the north
two days later, on the tenth day
he would never beg hence forth

He found Atmananda calm
as if without smile, recognition
without compassion, kindness, though
he'd been successful in his mission

Atmananda took the money
distributed what he gained
Manav felt his heart was breaking
-vanished what he painfully obtained

Not only these hard-begged coins
disappeared without trace
but also without words
of consolation, kindness, grace

Atmananda's posture cold
caused more disappointment
Manav was at his nerve's ends
thought of suicide commitment

„Take a bath, you stink“ Guru said
These words hurt him intolerably
He left Atmananda, went to the river
and wept uncontrollably

After the bath, after the tears
he felt slightly better
he put on some fresh clean clothes
thinking of Atmananda's matter

who was insensitive, sadistic, cruel
He wanted to go his own way
now only feeling like a tortured fool
he went to the saint, a word to say

The saint said „So, you're ready now
to be with me. Good.
You have faced all your fears
those temptations you withstood:

Fear of being alone, naked
of having to ask strangers
fear of having to beg
fears are not the same as dangers

Your ego melted a great deal
you can travel with me
go the path of pathlessness
be always expectation-free

Welcome to life of simplicity
purity in acts and mind
I'll be your very road sign
for what you seek, to find“

Manav's anger disappeared
there were no things that he feared
no humiliation traces
now he's ready for what he faces

He gained detachment from life
his sharp character smoothed
he started respecting everything
and his pain completely soothed

He saw life from different angles
learned the value of compassion
he learned the relevance of LOVE
and kindness, without agression

So many changes in ten days
Practical training, ego annihilation
He understood the saint's method
Manav found his path of liberation

Eternal unconditional love

All moments are in love
cause everything is love's creation
we bathe in love
we escape from it
but it is always there
love's always taking care
that we turn from illusions
to true threads of existence
to love beyond imagination
so open and welcoming
grateful and forgiving
no matter how you are living

the more you resonate with truth
the more your life will be sooth

Love of the eternal
is always there when you need it
Love that is impersonal
protects you if you believe in it